University of Santo Tomas completed a dominant 4-0 sweep to claim its fourth consecutive championship at the conclusion of the UAAP Season 85 High School Boys’ Taekwondo Kyorugi Championships, Tuesday at the Blue Eagle Gym.
The Junior Tiger Jins took a league-best 14th title overall in the event – the school’s fifth in the high school division for the season.
“I think ano na talaga yun eh, mind-setting talaga. Kahit anong sabihin natin — players na bagong balik, bagong salta, many of them, nagkita lang kami after nung pandemic. Hindi naman sa ‘min nanggaling eh,” UST coach Gershon Bautista shared on what kept the championship run going.
“The program is strong because of the mindset of the players and they believe in the training regimen. We believe in them and they, in turn, believe in us,” he continued.
UST took care of UAAP Season 82 third-placer Nazareth School of National University, 4-1, to open the day, before stamping its class over Ateneo de Manila University, 5-0. The defending champions then outlasted the most-recent runner-up Far Eastern University-Diliman, 4-1, to seal the championship.
Eventual Most Valuable Player Legolas Peñaredondo carved the most crucial win in the match, taking down Baby Tamaraw Vinn Pineda, 2-0 (4-1, 13-6) to virtually secure the title for the Junior Tiger Jins for a 3-1 lead in the team match.
UST earlier took the first and the third matches to go ahead, 2-1, against FEU. Sean Duenas outplayed Timothy Melicado, 2-1 (5-0, 2-3, 11-5), while Jose Jacob Cartagena set the stage for Peñaredondo with a 2-0 sweep of Juztene Buan, 7-0, 13-5.
The Junior Tiger Jins then closed out their campaign with a 5-0 romp of De La Salle-Zobel.
The Baby Tamaraws came from a 1-2 deficit to keep their silver trophy over the Bullpups, 3-2.
FEU tallied a 3-1 record while NSNU recorded a 2-2 slate to complete the podium finishers.
Pineda outlasted consequent Rookie of the Year John Balido, 2-1 (1-8, 2-0, 5-0), to level the contest before James Camillo dominated Kurt Bodegas in the decider to take the win, 2-1 (13-2, 0-1, 11-2).
Peñaredondo also led the individual gold medalists with UST winning the fourth category (63-70 kg). Duenas and Cartagena took the first (under-48 kg) and third (55-63 kg) category titles, respectively.
Pineda of FEU took the silver in the fourth category and NSNU’s John Balido took the bronze.
Joining Duenas as first category medalists are Rodito Sinugbojan Jr. of NSNU and Melocado, while NSNU’s Kent Banzon and FEU’s Buan completed the third category podium.
FEU bagged the two other golds in the second (48-55 kg) and fifth (63-70 kg) categories, respectively, with Felix Castel and Camillo.
UST’s Renzo Gavillanes and Ateneo’s Noel Macasaet rounded the second category podium, while NSNU’s Bodegas and UST’s John Gabriega completed the finish in the fifth.
